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Touristic Information Central Anatolia and Cappadocia    Traveling inland Turkey, away from the sparkling coast in direction to the country's central plateau, is a voyage of supreme mystery. It is a journey back to the earliest civilizations known to human being. To wander through a landscape where nature seems to have run wild, where wind and rain have combined over the centuries to create a frenzy of shapes with the beauty and complexity of a great work of art. Nature and human being: these are the twin elements of Turkey's interior.      The majestic results of this enterprise appears gloriously in a perfect triangle formed by Ankara, the nation's young capital chosen at the end of the Ottoman Empire now representing the progressive side of Anatolia; Konya, site of some of the earliest Neolithic remains ever discovered, a true legacy from the past and one of the cradles of civilization; and the Goreme Valley,land of the surrealism and religion.

Cappadocia The Vulcan Erciyes and Hasan erupted and formed a soil with very malleable stones yet sturdy in its nature. As a result, intricate carvings of nature and man have been recorded on this seemingly desolate land for centuries. The winding landscape is decorated with a maze of cones, slopes and chimneys at every twist and turn. Before the Persian invasion, Cappadocia extended from the Black Sea in the north, to the Taurus Mountains in the south with the Euphrates and Tatta Rivers bordering it to the east and west. Now, considerably condensed, Cappadocia is enclosed by the Halys River to the north, the Euphrates to the east and the Seyhan and Ceyhan rivers to the south.

 

 In order to escape from Roman invasions during the 7th century, the Christians of the region built complete underground cities. Some of them extending as deep as 14 stories and there the populations were able to live hidden for months. They were so well hidden that the underground cities were undiscovered  until the 1960's. Among the most famous and well excavated are Derinkuyu and Kaymakli. The entrance to Derinkuyu is very close to the present day city, meant obviously to escape from immediate danger and for shorter term stays. Kaymakli is also worst to visit with its wine cellars, supply areas, chapels, stables and tombs.

The tuff of  the region was not only utilized as physical shelters, but also spiritual . The valley of Goreme is known for its proliferation of churches carved into the rocks. Built between the 7th and 13th century, at its height Goreme is said to have had a church for every day of the year. It is not just the use of the stone that is so fascinating, but the interior design. Vividly preserved during the ensuing centuries, the original frescoes celebrate the beliefs of the early Christians. The only light that permeates the churches is the natural light that is filtered through the entrance. From a far looking you will only notice something like shells of vacant windows at the hillside. Most of the churches are quite small. The dominant layout of the interior chambers is based on a cruciform design. The most famous churches are located inside the "open-air museum" of Goreme , they are :

Elmali: This church is dated to the 11th century. The yellow ochre of the region dominates the frescoes that decorate the vaulted, cross shaped interior. As with many other Cappadocia churches, peeling paint often reveals the red as the Christian symbols of the iconoclastic period. The themes of  the frescoes mainly relate to the Christ cycle. Elma in Turkish means apple.

Carikli: Named after the carik-shoe marks on the floor, this church can only be reached through an open stair case. Although the narthex is in ruins, the frescoes themselves are not so damaged and mainly deal with the Christ cycle. The portrait of the four evangelists inscribing the gospels in the surrounding and the center dome where Christ is to be seen is a detail to admire.

Yilanli: Thought to originally be a funeral chapel, this 11th century church's fame lies not only in the quality of its frescoes, but in its content. The slaying of a dragon (from which the church takes its name) by St. George and St. Theodore on horseback, decorates the vault over the apse. Emperor Constantine (306-337 A.D.) and his mother Helena are depicted to the saints right next to them.

Cavusin : The extent of the erosion in this village forced the inhabitants to abandon their homes on the slopes and settle on the plain below. However, this rock ghost town is still alive to visitors in the interiors of St. John the Baptist Church (8th century) and the Cavusin Church (10th century). Reached by an iron stairway, what is now the entrance to the church was originally the narthex. Second only to the Tokali Church in detail, the frescoes illustrate different narratives from the New Testament in red and green, predominant colors of the region.

The Soganli Valley: Enclosed by steep hills, this village unique beauty is the contrast between its rocky climate with vegetation and streams. Of particular interest among its many  rock churches are the two storied Kubbeli churches. The natural structure of the rock has been worked to give the impression of a dome decorated in a geometrical design.

The Ihlara Valley: Formed from the volcanic eruptions of Hasan Dagi carving gorges through the Melendiz range, this region between Ihlara and Selime was once very populated. Today over a hundred monasteries and churches dating from the 10th to the 13th century still peer through their rock openings at the passersby. In a church dedicated to St. George are both the names of the Seljuk Sultan and the Byzantine Emperor (Giyasettin Mesud II and Andronicus II) that aptly illustrating the religious tolerance of the Turkish rulers.